Schrodinger's Cat: Conscious Observer & Levels of Organization

In summary: Because the many worlds interpretation requires it to account for the fact that the observer can never know for certain what happened in an earlier universe.
  • #1
jbrussell93
413
38
My first question is pertaining to Schrodinger's Cat (i know... I am still trying to grasp these concepts). So, wouldn't it make sense that the cat would be a conscious observer therefore causing wave function collapse in the first place?

My other question is just a general question about the observer. At what level of organization does a living thing STOP becoming an observer ie cell, bacteria, etc.
 
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  • #2
Imagine a series of nested boxes, each containing a conscious observer. The innermost contains the cat. Each observer ascribes a wavefunction to the box he's looking at. To him, its contents are a quantum system, making no difference whether it is 'conscious' or not. The boxes are opened in sequence, starting with the innermost, revealing the outcome of the nth experiment to the nth observer, and causing the nth wavefunction to collapse. Each observer sincerely believes that his state was determined as soon as the box before him was opened. Nevertheless the remaining observers outside his box believe he's still in a superposition.
 
  • #3
Bill K explained it well.

The closed box contains two superposed states:

1] a cat - safe from harm - that sees a collapsed state of (itself and the contents of the box)
2] a live - but doomed - cat that sees a collapsed state of (itself and the contents of the box) - which then dies

Each one cat sees a collapsed state, true but - until the box is opened - there are in essence two cats observing two states.
 
  • #4
This would all make sense if time truly progressed asymmetrically forward. Since time is symmetric but we only "perceive" it as progressing asymmetrically forward, it would seem that once the cat in the internal box became aware (certain) of its conditions, this would become a certainty throughout all space-time instantly even though the other observers could not "perceive" it yet. Therefore, each subsequent observer is already certain before they open the box even though they cannot perceive this certainty.

I must be missing something :/
 
  • #5
jbrussell93 said:
This would all make sense if time truly progressed asymmetrically forward. Since time is symmetric but we only "perceive" it as progressing asymmetrically forward, it would seem that once the cat in the internal box became aware (certain) of its conditions, this would become a certainty throughout all space-time instantly even though the other observers could not "perceive" it yet. Therefore, each subsequent observer is already certain before they open the box even though they cannot perceive this certainty.

I must be missing something :/

You're assuming there's only one reality. The point - to continue the analogy - is that there are multiple simultaneous potential realities.
 
  • #6
That would only be true assuming the many worlds interpretation correct? I am assuming there is only one "reality".

The problem I have with the many worlds interpretation is that there are potentially an infinite number universes acting out an infinite number of possibilities. It seems that in math, infinite is a dead end... usually due to a lack of a deeper understanding.

Why must we require multiple simultaneous realities?
 

What is Schrodinger's Cat thought experiment?

Schrodinger's Cat is a thought experiment proposed by physicist Erwin Schrodinger in 1935. It is a paradox that involves a hypothetical cat trapped in a box with a radioactive substance, a Geiger counter, and a small amount of poison. The experiment suggests that until the box is opened and observed, the cat exists in a state of being both alive and dead at the same time.

What is the role of the conscious observer in Schrodinger's Cat experiment?

In the thought experiment, the conscious observer plays a crucial role. The observer's act of opening the box and observing the cat determines the cat's state of being either alive or dead. This highlights the connection between observation and reality in quantum mechanics.

What are the different levels of organization in Schrodinger's Cat experiment?

The different levels of organization in Schrodinger's Cat experiment refer to the different states of the cat. At the macroscopic level, the cat is either alive or dead. At the microscopic level, the cat's state is uncertain and exists in a superposition of both alive and dead states until observed.

What is the significance of Schrodinger's Cat thought experiment in quantum mechanics?

Schrodinger's Cat thought experiment is significant in quantum mechanics as it challenges our understanding of reality and the role of observation. It highlights the concept of superposition, where a particle can exist in multiple states simultaneously until observed. It also raises questions about the role of the observer in determining reality.

Has Schrodinger's Cat experiment been tested in real life?

No, Schrodinger's Cat experiment has not been tested in real life as it is a thought experiment. However, similar experiments have been conducted at the quantum level, confirming the concept of superposition and the role of observation in determining reality.

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